During my meditation time this a.m. my mind drifted over the weekend at Camp Cross again. One of the last reflective exercises, in which we engaged our memories, was to list failures, successes, mentors.

I had a nice collection of both failures and successes, but when it came to mentors, I felt I was a little short on a list of persons who truly touched me with their confidence and support in decisions and endeavors I've made throughout my life. I tried to summon up more of those mentors today but they would not show their faces or memories to me.

Then, as I was reading, "The Great Omission" by Dallas Willard, I came upon this quote - "God's gift to us in creation is that we might have the space to become the persons we choose to be. We manage our lives as best we can, utilizing whatever resources of understanding, emotion, and circumstances are available."

A little lightbulb went on in my head in realizing that God has given me what I need - many mentors or few - to become who I am. I haven't totally messed that up so far. It's up to me going forward to recognize the support that surrounds me everyday through God's presence in my life and his gift to me of other persons in my life who mentor me more than I've taken the time to credit!